216 the natural history 
The SWIFT. 
The plumage a dulky black, the throat white, the four 
toes all forwards. 
This is a large fpecies ; it comes the lateft, ap¬ 
pearing about the latter end of April, and departs 
the earlieft ; and during its fhort fummer refi- 
dence with us, has only time to rear one brood. 
Its manner of flying is more rapid, and more 
elevated than that of others of the Swallow tribe; 
and from the great length of its wings, and fhort- 
nefs of its legs, if it were once on the ground, it 
would have great difficulty in recovering its flight; 
when this happens, it waddles in an auk ward, 
embarrafled manner to fome elevation, a little 
hillock, or a ftone, from which with great effort 
it contrives to rife, from this ftrufture in the 
bird, the whole of its life is fpent in the oppofite 
extremes, of the mofr rapid motion, and the moft 
abfolute reft. Sometimes, indeed, it is feen to 
fix itfelf again ft the wall, or the trunk of the tree 
near its neft, and to clamber into it with the help 
of its beak and wing?,' and tail and claws, avail¬ 
ing itfelf of every fupport in its power ; but far 
more frequently it enters its neft on the wing, and 
with that rapidity that it feems in an inftant to va- 
nifh 
